Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-05-06
FANCY F0MIS
Old and New Varieties of Chickens-Charaeter-
istics and Prices
St. Louis Republican


Attracted by tumulutous crowd on
Cortland street, reporter went in to see
the show. Cages of fancy fowls of every
variety lined the width of a room and piled
to the ceiling. From each proceeded
sucn a variety of growing and cackling as is
found usually in prize poultry exhibition
The deep tones of the Cochins fforded a
bass for the shrill notes of defiance from
the rame-cocks. The bantams timidly
put in their oar, and guinea-hens con-
trib uted their '.ouckwheat" which sounded
like the creaking of rusty patent well
wheel.
'what is the latest fashion in fancy
fowls?"
''The very latest is the black Minorca,
handsome variety just imported from
England. They are of glossy black, with
large comb. They are of medium size
and lay large white eggs. They are lsrg
or than the Leghorns, although they be-
long to the same famjly-non- sitters.
Interest in them has developed in the last
year. They range from s. 10 so each.
White Wyandottes and White Plymouth
Rocks have lately appeared. They are of
American origin. They are good layers
and excellent market fowl. They range
| from SO to So each. The regular Wyan-
dottes and Plymouth Rocks are Domin-
| icks. great craze on them continued
for many years. Cocks have been sold
as high as S75 to $780,"
DO fancy fowls sell as high as for
merly?"
"No varieties have brought so much
lately. About twenty five years ago Buff
| Cochins, then first introduced, sold as
| high as $3.50 each. They range now from
! 20 a.
| some, and quiet in their nature, and fair
layers of large eggs. The Brahmas have
always commanded high prices. The
highest paid lately is $50. 1t is not I'M
common to see Brahmas possessing su-
perior points as exhibition birds sell as
| high as that. They are good layers of
large, buff-colored eggs. The black
| Spanish is very old variety. They were
about the first of the fancy fowl, and have
retained all their characteristics. They
| lay large, fac, white eggs, but rarely want
to sit. The Polands are an old variety,
priced more for beauty than anything
else although good layers but of small
eggs. There are siver-spangled, white
crested, black, and what is termed a buff
laced Poland. Numerous attempts have
been made to breed a white fowl with a
black crest, but they have all failed"
do game fowls hold their own"
Eyes. They are the oldest variety
known. People have fought game-cocks
way back to the times of the Caesars
That is as far back as my recollection ex-
tends, but probably they fought in the
ark. They are bred very carefully for
their fighting qualities by many private
parties-so carefully indeed that it is
vers difficult to get single egg. Besides
being bred for the pit great attention has
been paid to varieties for show purposes.
These are higher stationed, longer-legged
and more rangy. Sporting men like a
pit bird to be low and more compact.
The exhibition birds would make poor
show in pit with regular pit Bird
Last and least, how are the bantams."
"Bantams are used for pets. They are
of no particular practical use. Some
come from Japan, some from China, and
they are bred largely in England